Prologue

I once had a thousand desires,

But in my one desire to know you,

All else melted away.

-Rumi

The cover is made by me. If anyone needs one for their story, you can DM me♥

Also during the chapters, you can find meaning of the names that would be in italic and bold like this. You can find meanings of those words at the end of the chapter.

The chapters are EDITED for grammatical errors by a very talented friend of mine, bookaholic2005 ❤

P R O L O G U E

Deep within the palace of marble and stone, a man sat alone before a table of lustrous ebony peering at a gold chain with flecks of blood stain covering most of it.

A gift from an enemy!

It had been written on the parchment that came along with it on the cursed night.

The only light in the room reflected back in his amber eyes. A light beset by the dark. He braced his elbows on his knees and made a crown of his hands around his forehead. The agony that he had been dealing with had wrecked him in places not known to the world. He wanted to weep but the tears seemed to have dried, only to be replaced by a blazing fire. Fire to avenge what had been taken away.

"Your highness" Entered Naaf, bowing in respect. "We have news." He reported hurriedly in his guttural voice before he was exiled for entering the Prince's chamber without his consent.

It was astounding, how a creature like Naaf could be scared of any human at all, but he was, he was scared of his Emir. He had to be. He was only answerable to him.

"What is it?" growled the man in front of him, gazing expectantly at his spy. "My apologies for entering your chamber without seeking your permission my emir but we have good news and I thought I'd be the one to tell you becau..." His words perished upon his lips when the prince snarled, "What. Is. It?" he repeated impatiently.

Naaf had definitely trembled. He dare not meet his prince's gaze. Naaf's eyes were made of fire, blazing and scorching fire, they could make anyone tremble out of sheer terror. Anyone but his master. It would offend Tayyab and Naaf loved his life dearly.

"They found him Ya Sayyidi!" He barely whispered. It was amusing how the prince had been seated across the table not seconds ago and was now proudly standing in front of Naaf, scrutinizing him with anticipation. "Where and who?" His lack of patience was quite discerning.

"Ahma.." Naaf had begun only to be interrupted by prince's general. "Ahmar Shams." The general completed as he entered the chamber. The prince's gaze shifted towards his closest companion. He barely raised his hand to dismiss Naaf, now that Umar was here. Naaf bowed down to his prince and then to the general before he scurried away like a bolt of lightning, floating away through the walls.

Umar waited before Naaf was gone. He could finally say that he was not scared of the hideous creature. "He is a rebel but has somehow managed to penetrate the boundaries and is now living in the Qasba." Umar apprised.

The rage that threatened to burn the entire AL Hud Qasba had definitely enveloped him at the first instance but the prince shrugged it as hope bloomed in his heart again. Hope to find what had been taken away. He moved towards his chamber windows to gaze at the Hud Qasba that laid beyond the city and the Hud Souq. He had already started planning about the ways he would enjoy torturing him.

"Don't get your hopes too high. She might be dea.." before Umar could have said it out loud , he was hindered.

"She is not dead. I can feel it in my blood and bones." There was no room for argument and Umar knew it too. The young prince didn't like to be crossed. "He is getting married tomorrow to the daughter of one of the dwellers, Hashmet bin Abdullah. We are already running a background check on his family too. We will know about it by tomorrow." Umar further informed.

An obnoxious and unsavory smile tugged upon the prince's lips. "Is it an arranged marriage Umar?" he sneered.

"No emir. I know not much but it's not an arranged one for sure." Umar responded thoughtfully. An evil laugh echoed in the chambers and had Umar not known the prince the way he did, he would have been scared for his life right now.

When the prince's laugh died, Umar spoke again. "Tayyab promise me that when all of this ends, that if.. if she is.. dead, you'll try to move on. Promise me you will not continue to lose yourself completely." He paused waiting for the prince to stop him but when no response came, he further continued.

"I know how you feel about her. I can fully understand. It will take time. But you will realise you can find happiness with someone else, that there are other young women in the world. In time, you will see."

"I already understand and now I need you to understand me. My father is not always right, so just stop speaking his words. I know it's possible for me to find a measure of happiness with another girl again. Maybe I'll start living again. Given time, I suppose anything may happen but no matter how many perfect young women you put in my path, there is only one Meher in the world and there will always be." Saying her name after so long had immediately brought painful memories to his mind. Those memories tasted sour and bitter on his tongue and he gulped it down before he lost his mind. Umar stared dumbfounded for a while before speaking his mind again. "But what if she is dead?"

"If she is dead, he pays more. That bastard took away my love, my life and the favor must be returned with due interest." The prince seethed.

Qasba means a village.

Hud Souq is the market place of the Kingdom.

I also created a poster for you guys.

How was it guys?

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V and C ♥

How is the new cover though?